SAR #11172

Is it slavery if we volunteer?

Change You Can Bet On: Syria's Assad has promised “change”, but only after the protesters stop demanding it. Until then he will continue to use the Syrian Army to educate the people.

Gnats: The US military is working feverishly to develop surveillance drones the size of cockroaches, which seems appropriate. Bees and beetles and other insects are being imitated in a drive to develop monitoring devices that can literally litter the environment and report back to Big Brother. If you think these devices are destined for use in the mountains of Afghanistan, raise your hand.

Better Never Than Late: The IMF suddenly realizes that Greece could upset the whole global financial applecart and says the EU has to “act quickly to stabilize the situation.” Easier said than done.

Remedial Reading: If you thought replacing Bush-Cheney with Obama had reduced the assault on individual rights, read this and weep.

First Lines: The US Corporation Supreme Court has ruled that victimized women are each discriminated against in their own way and have no collective bargaining class action rights. Specifically it said that each of the 1.6 million women Wal Mart has discriminated against must find a lawyer brave enough to take on the Behemoth of Bentonville. Sort of a preview of how they're going to rule on the union - collective bargaining issue.

Kissing Booth: It does not matter how many times the pig gets kissed, it is still a pig. Greece cannot repay its debts. Ever.

Watch And Learn: If you learned how to do CPR back when it was called CPR, it is time you updated your lifesaving merit badge. Now.

Fine Print: The Catholic Diocese of Belleville, IL claims that a jury verdict awarding $5 million to a boy who had been sexually abused by a priest is an attack on religious freedom. The Church is confusing freedom of religion with the priests long-standing freedom to sexually abuse children, which Constitutional experts and most theologians do not view as the same thing.

Inquiring Minds: How did Obama turn out to be the greatest Republican President ever?

Scapegoating: Sen. McCain claims that illegal immigrants – starting signal fires like Indians in a John Wayne movie – are responsible for the Arizona wildfires. They are also responsible for the obesity epidemic, this spring's tornadoes and the Missouri River flooding. At least it lets the gays off the hook for a bit.

Correction: Reports say that Texas Gov. Perry is being “coy” about a possible presidential run. I've seen pictures, the governor is a couple of decades past being able to pull off “coy”.

Just The Numbers: Banks hold about $3 trillion in mortgage loans. Twenty percent of these loans are 30+ days delinquent. Most of these will end up in foreclosure. The banks typically recover about 40% on a foreclosure. If they lose 60% of the 20% of the $3 trillion, they'll end up losing $350 billion – and that's big money at my house.

Reversing the Rules: The National Credit Union Administration (there really is such a thing) has sued JPMorgan and RBS for lying to their clients. Who knew it was illegal, the financial folks have been doing it since forever. Haven't the NCUA people ever received a call from their broker?

Porn O'Graph:Recovery is as recovery does. Or doesn't.